Like a classical work of music, poolside competition in Westchester builds in intensity throughout the summer until it reaches a stunning climax, as it did at the 88th Annual WCSA swimming and diving championships.
By Melanie Cane
Like a classical work of music, poolside competition in Westchester builds in intensity throughout the summer until it reaches a stunning climax, as it did at the 88th Annual WCSA swimming and diving championships. The diving competition took place July 21-22 at Lake Isle Country Club. The swimming championships were held at Playland July 29-Aug 1.
Norah Murphy, a rising Rye High School senior who dives for Coveleigh Club, took first place in the 14-17 age group. She beat Shenorock Shore Club diver Madeline Kenney by a cumulative score of 178.5 to 174.2 to secure the win.
This was Murphy’s eighth year competing in the championships. Last year, she placed 4th. Murphy did a double tuck, back half tuck, reverse dive, inward half tuck, and front flip with two twists. Each diver performs five dives, which are chosen ahead of time by the diver and her coach.
Murphy, who will be captain of the Garnet’s diving team this fall, won the diving conferences August 2 at Orienta Beach Club, and broke the Coveleigh dual meet scoring record against Westchester Country Club at the end of July.
Rye divers performed well in all age groups. Rye Golf Club’s Katie Laverty, 11, came in 2nd, RGC’s Michael Ackert, 12, placed 3rd, and Coveleigh’s Dalton Grant, 17, earned 2nd place.
In the Diving Championships, 18 teams competed. Rye Golf and Lake Isle tied for first place, with 17 points each. Coveleigh came in second with 16 points.
While 182 Rye swimmers participated in the swimming competition, Rye teams didn’t fare as well as they did in the diving. Rye Golf placed 6th and Coveleigh finished in 13th place out of 40 teams.
But the Whittington brothers, competing for Rye Golf, went the distance. Ryan Whittington, 12, was the high point winner overall in the Boys 12 and Under category, and his younger brother, Peter Whittington, 9, finished in 4th place in the Boys 10 and Under.
